UPDATE: An excellent game for SF Giants plus a new Scutaro target date

UPDATE, 4:15 p.m.: The Giants played one of those exhibition games today that get fans pumped about the season, until they remember that it was, indeed, an exhibition, with neither team fielding all of its regulars, and with those who played coming out after five innings.

Is that enough of a caveat for you?

They beat the Rockies 4-0. Madison Bumgarner pitched five more shutout innings, giving him 14 this spring. He allowed two singles and neither left the infield. Relievers Brett Bochy, Jeremy Affeldt, Heath Hembree (92-94 mph) and Jean Machi each added perfect innings. Hunter Pence starred for the offense. He hit one home run to left field another to right both against lefty Christian Friedrich, who already had been optioned to the minors.

Pence’s hardest-hit ball might have been the one that third baseman Nolan Arenado caught for a double play.

After his outing, Bumgarner said he really liked the way the team as a whole looks, feeling that everybody seems to be where they need to be with a little more than two weeks before Opening Day.

He certainly looks ready, although he said he isn’t. He still hasn’t gotten his pitch count into the 90s, as starters do before the season. Pence looked ready, but in typical Pencian fashion he said he wasn’t either.

“I’ll be ready when it’s that day,” he said. “Until then there are always things to work on. If I feel ready now, I’ll lose the focus I need. There’s always room to grow.”

Bumgarner also had a single for one of the Giants’ 10 hits.

In other notes:

As stated below, Marco Scutaro seems to be making progress. Manager Bruce Bochy said Scutaro could play in a minor-league game as soon as Tuesday if he has no setbacks. Bochy has noticed some hesitation in his swing, however. “We have to get to the point where he feels comfortable letting the bat go without being gingerly about it,” Bochy said.”

Also noted below, Nick Noonan and Roger Kieschnick have been sent down. Bochy said the staff is “open-minded” about them making the team, and both could return for some big-league games. But the odds are against them. They were optioned so they could get consistent at-bats in Triple-A games.

Angel Pagan (back tightness) might return as soon as Sunday.

Bochy said Sergio Romo is fine, even though he has not pitched since allowing five runs without getting an out a last Saturday. Romo has been refining his stuff in the bullpen and is on the list to pitch against the A’s on Saturday.

The Giants have a split squad Saturday. The regulars who will face Oakland in a 3 p.m. home game are Brandon Crawford, Buster Posey, Hunter Pence and Pablo Sandoval. The regulars going to Peoria for a 1 p.m. game against the Mariners are Brandon Belt, Brandon Belt, Brandon Belt and Brandon Belt. Hector Sanchez, Joaquin Arias and returning Giant Darren Ford are also in that lineup.

Belt returned from an illness and went 1-for-3 with a lineout to left. He said he still lacked energy.

ORIGINAL POST: I’m back from my week off. Thanks for your service, John Shea.

We just got word that the Giants have optioned second baseman Nick Noonan and outfielder Roger Kieschnick to Triple-A Fresno. They will report to the minor-league camp Monday.

That has to be a disappointment for both because they reached the majors in 2013. Noonan was even on the Opening Day roster. Neither hit very well when they got there.

Realistically, Kieschnick had a slightly better shot to make the team this year because there are fewer outfielders competing for jobs. Even with Marco Scutaro’s back issue, Noonan would have had a tough time with switch-hitters Ehire Adrianza and Tony Abreu both out of options, and minor-league free agent Brandon Hicks having an excellent spring.

It must be said that Noonan was cut during spring camp last year, too, but the Giants brought him back because they were not happy with the remaining backup infield competitors, and he played well enough to win a job. That is less likely this year.

Meanwhile, Scutaro took batting practice and grounders for the third consecutive day. Head athletic trainer Dave Groeschner liked the way Scutaro was moving, especially practicing double play turns. I asked if Scutaro might be close to getting into games. Groeschner said possibly, but could not say for sure because the second baseman could walk into camp any morning with a sore back.

Manager Bruce Bochy has said Scutaro could start on Opening Day if he gets about 30-35 at-bats in spring training. That remains doable. He even could lead off every inning in a minor-league game and get six or seven at-bats.